Tori: Rewritten
by swords and pens
Summary: Tori isn't who she thought she was.


**Author's Note: **I don't normally write Degrassi fics, but I really needed to write out this headcanon. I don't know whether I should continue this, so feedback is appreciated. I seem to write an unhealthy amount of angst, omfg.

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"Victoria," her mother began, seemingly hesitant, and the Filipina knew something was up. When her parents used her full name, they meant business. She wasn't sure whether she should be worried or frightened, so she scooted into her usual seat at the dinner table and waited.

Tori wasn't sure what to except, so she smiled eagerly; an obvious attempt to lighten the mood. When her mother seemed torn, Tori decided to give her a little nudge. Biting her lower lip, she nodded, "Yes?"

Her mother looked up at her daughter, focusing her eyes on Tori's curly locks instead of her dark eyes. "You should sit down."  
Confused, Tori furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled, "I am sitting."  
Her mother let out a small laugh-one that sounded more like a cough, "Right."

Tori's smile turned upside-down, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, still trying to figure out what her mother was trying to tell her. Were her parents getting divorced? Did Dad cheat on her mom? Was she failing school and had to be held back a year? ... Again?

Mrs. Santamaria pursed her lips and spilled out her thoughts as they came pouring in. "I don't know where to start, so I guess I'll start from the start." the words seemed rather funny to her, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

"As you know, your father and I had trouble getting pregnant. I was infertile." before she could finish her sentence, her daughter interrupted her.  
"Yeah, yeah, I know, Mom." Tori rolled her eyes, impatiently, "You needed fertility treatment or whatever."

Mrs. Santamaria was quick to shake her head, "No, no, kiddo," she smiled weakly, trying to break the upcoming tension. "I wish we told you sooner, but..." she trailed off, almost choking up, "you were adopted."

Tori didn't know how to react, so she tried to collect her confused self. She stared at the older woman, feeling as if she was just a stranger staying in someone else's home, "You're joking, right?"

Mrs. Santamaria looked down, counting the geometrical designs on the linoleum tiles. She finally shook her head. "No..."

Tori scooted out of her chair, as slowly as she possibly could, "... so, who are my real parents?"

"Julia and Joseph Jeremiah," she said, still refusing to look into the child's eyes. Letting out a sigh, she whispered, "Neither are still alive."

"You have a half-brother," the older woman smiled weakly, reminisced, glancing at Tori momentarily, "Craig Manning." she frowned, "He really wanted to care for you."

Tori's eyebrows raised, "Oh? Then why didn't he?"

"He wasn't stable, Victoria." she responded matter-of-fact. "Emotionally, he wasn't. He's bipolar, kiddo. Rather extremely, actually." she explained, hoping the child was understanding. "He needed to put his health first."

"We were a friend of the family, sweetie." her fists were tightening; her eyes were watering, "He left our names in the will to care f - for you." she choked. Gathering herself together, she said, "He knew we were infertile."

She seemed almost ashamed.

"When was this?" Tori asked, a little more harshly than her intent.

"A little before fourth grade." she said, "You didn't fail. You were traumatized from seeing your brother beat your father."  
Tori pulled out a chair and leaned forward, not wanting to miss a detail.

"You guys originally lived in Toronto, but you and Joey moved to Calgary," she stopped mid-sentence, "where he died."

"You were held back from school your fourth grade year while we figured out a plan." Mrs. Santamaria said, trying to hold her head high.

"At the time changing your name from Angela to -" she started, but Tori interrupted her.

"So, what - you changed my name?" she rose to her feet, furious.

"We thought it'd be better if you didn't know!" the woman cried, "We thought we were doing what was best for you!"

"Well," Tori clenched her teeth, angry and hurt, "you thought wrong!"

And with that, she ran out to the foyer, disappearing out the front door with a slam.

"Tori!"


End file.
